Checkpoint held at Virginia's borders

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - Law enforcement officials say Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest holidays on the road when it comes to impaired driving. Across the Commonwealth, police set up two dozen checkpoints to make sure drivers are safe and sober.

Officers teamed up with officials in North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia for the thirteenth annual border-to-border checkpoint with the hope of establishing a message for holiday travelers.

"Law enforcement will be out on the roads throughout the labor day weekend in an effort to make sure that everybody gets to and from their destinations safely and happily," said Mary Ann Rayment, State Occupancy Protection Coordinator.

Border-to-border checkpoints took place in 24 locations Thursday around the Commonwealth, with officers looking for any and all violations.

Police officer specialist Justin Tindall of the Chesapeake police traffic unit said authorities are looking for "no front license plate, no seat belt use, drunk drivers, narcotics violations."

WAVY.com captured a drug bust in an SUV headed towards North Carolina.

Rayment said, "There have been a several people taken into custody... for a variety of different things."

Officials say Virginia has had a significant drop in death rates and they are using checkpoints as a way to get the word out that people need to buckle up, obey speed limits and drive sober.

"People need to be aware that we are out there and we are looking for these violations, so if you're going to drink and you're going to drive, you're going to end up going to jail," Officer Tindall added.

The Virginia Highway Safety office tells WAVY.com police wrote more than 100 summones during Thursday's checkpoint: 30 for speeding, 10 criminal violation arrests, 12 safety seat/safety belt violations, 6 trucks taken out of service, 1 AWOL military service member, possession with intent to distribute, and 2 misdemeanor marijuana violations.